Islamist MP encourages terrorism, right groups

By Nasser Arrabyee/28/04/2010

Three human right groups in Yemen demanded that the parliamentary immunity of an Islamist MP be stripped before bringing him to justice for encouraging terrorism and violence against human right activists.

The groups said in a statement sent to media on Wednesday, that the MP, Mohammed Al Hazmi, mosque speaker in Sana'a, leading member of the largest Islamist opposition party, Islah, accused the right groups of being agents to the West and of conspiring against the Islamic faith.

They demanded the general prosecutor to open investigations over the allegations of the mosque speaker and to protect them from religious extremists who blindly take the sheikh's inciting sermons as religious orders that must be implemented.

The groups considered Al Hazmi has been launching a campaign of inciting and hatred against freedoms and human rights, and women rights in particular in his pres statements and mosque sermons.

In a conservative society like Yemen where illiteracy remains very high, the extremist views of the Sheikh Al Hazmi can be used by radical groups and individuals as justifications to kill the human right activists who stand against these views.

"The statements and sermons of the Sheikh, and those behind him, feed the environment of terrorism and create justifications to target the State, the democracy, freedom, and the civil society," said the statement which was signed by, the National Committee on Women, Arab Sisters Forum for Human Rights, and the Democratic School.

Al Hazmi leads a media campaign and a parliament lobby against a draft law that makes the minimum age of marriage at 18 years.

Al Hazmi and his supporters (Some Islamist MPs, some tribal and religious sheikhs) say putting a certain age for marriage is against Islam's law, the Shariah.

The three right groups supported by some MPs from all parties including Islamist MPs, lead a campaign for the draft law, which faces significantly religious and tribal opposition.